Indicating push-button.



W. R. SCHLAGE.

INDIGATING PUSH BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1. 1911.

1,021,339. Patented Mar.26, 1912.

flZzeaaea 7 rawiwhich extends through a perforation 6 WALTER R.SCI-ILAGE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

INDICATING PUSH-IBUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

Application filed August 1, 1911. Serial No. 641,762.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WVALTER R. SOHLAGE,citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Indicating Push-Buttons, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an indicating push-button.

It is the object of this invention to provide a push-button, which is soconstructed and arranged that it may be employed as an indicator, andwhich is particularly adapted for use in operating electrical bells inoffices, residences, and the like, for indicating to the operatorwhether the inmates are in or out.

A further object is to provide a simple means for setting the device toexpose either of the indicating characters in and out or other marks fordenoting whether the person called is present or absent.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character, which issimple in construction and operation and which can be manufactured andinstalled at small cost.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a verticalsection of the invention partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan Viewof'same. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view, showing the adjusting device.Fig. 4 is a section on the line XX of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a'plan view,showing the push-button as c leprpssed to expose the indicatingcharacter In the drawings, A represents a cylindrical casing formed onan escutcheon plate 2, and which is adapted to be mounted on a doorcasing 3, or the like. Mounted within the casing A is a cylindricalblock 4, of approximately the same diameter as the casing, and whichblock is preferably formed of wood or other insulating material.

Formed on the block 4 is a push-button 5,

formed in the outer end of the casing A, and by means of which the block4 may be moved inwardly'in the casing A in opposition to a spiral spring6 which is disposed in the easing and is tensioned to bear between theblock 4 and an insulating plug 7, rigidly mounted in the open end of thecasing A, as shown in Fig. 1; the spring 6 normally retaining the block4 and push-button in their outermost position.

Mounted in the plug 7, and extending therethrough, are electricalconductors 8, the inner ends of which are bent outwardly and formcontact members, which are adapted to be electrically connected by meansof a contact plate 9 mounted on the block 4, when the latter is movedinto its innermost position, by means of the push-button 5. The block 7forms an abutment to limit the forward movement of the block 4. Theouter ends of the conductors 8 connect with binding posts 10 on the plug7, to which are attached the'terminals of positive and negativeelectrical conductors 11 and 11 leading from any suitable source ofelectrical supply and connecting with any desired electrical alarm bellin the usual manner, not necessary to be here shown.

Formed in the upper face of the cylinder A is an elongated slot 12 whichextends circumferentially of the casing and is so disposed as to exposea portion of the surface of the block 4 adjacent to its inner end, asshown in Fig. 1. Formed on the concealed portion of the block 4,adjacent the slot 12, are the indicator characters In which are designedto be exposed in the slot 12 when the block 4 and push-button 5 are intheir innermost position, as shown in Fig. 5,. and in which position thecontacts 8 are closed to sound the alarm actuated through the conductors11 and 11; the word In serving to denote that the person called ispresent. Formed on the block 4 peripheral in alinement with theindicating word In is the word Out which is disposed to one side of theslot 12 and normally concealed. When it is desired to expose the wordOut in the slot 12 instead of the word In the block 4 is rotated apartial revolution so as to dispose the word Out in the positionpreviously occupied by the word In. This rotation of the block 4 isaccomplished by means of a pin 13 in the block 4, which extends througha peculiarly shaped slot formed on the underside of the casing A, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4. The above mentioned slot is formed with aperipherally extending portion 14 which terminates at each end intransverse slots 15--15, arranged at right angles to the peripheral slot14, and which join with the portion 14 intermediate their ends. The pin13 travels in the slot 15 when the bottom 5 and block 4 are movedinwardly to expose the word In in the slot 12, and travels in the slot15 when the block 4 moves forward to expose the word Out the pin 13being moved back and forth through the peripheral slot 14 between theslots 1515 to rotate the block 4 to dispose either the In or Outcharacters in position to be exposed in the slot 12.

The block 4 is designed to be set by the person called to indicate tothe caller whether he is in or out, this information being imparted tothe caller through the slot 12 when the push-button 5 is pressed. It isobvious, however, that the characters In and Out may be arranged on theperiphery of the block 4 so as to register with the slot 12 when theblock is in its outermost posi-' tion so as to constantly expose thecharacters. In setting the block 4 it is necessary to slightly depressthe butt-on 5 to bring the pin 13 into alinement with the slot 14 beforethe block can be turned; the pin 13 being normally engaged in the outerend of either the slot 15 or 15 to prevent the block 4 beingaccidentally turned when the push-button 5 is in its normal outermostposition.

While I have shown the invention as applied to a push-button foroperating electrical contacts to sound an alarm, it is ob vious thatother alarm mechanisms may be actuated by the depression of the button,or that the button may be used separate from alarm devices. It is alsomanifest that other indicating characters than those described may beemployed if desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. A push button having a combined longitudinal and angular movement,aguide casing in which said push button is reciprocally and turnablymounted, said casing having a slot formed in its side and said pushbutton having characters adapted to be exposed through said slot, andmeans for adjusting the push button angularly to expose differ- Oopiesof this patent may be obtained for ent characters in said slot when thepush button is moved longitudinally.

2. A push'button, an indicator carried by the push-button, a guidecasing in which said indicator is reciprocally mounted, a slot formed insaid casing, indicating characters formed on the indicator and adaptedto be exposed through said slot, and means for adjusting the indicatorto expose differ ent characters in said slot, said means consisting of apin on the indicator extending through a slot formed in the casing.

3. A push-button, an indicator carried by the pushbutton, a guide casingin which said indicator is reciprocally mounted, a slot formed in saidcasing, indicating characters formed on the indicator and adapted to beexposed through said slot, and means for adjusting the indicator toexpose different characters in said slot, said means con sisting of apin on the indicator extending through a slot formed in the casing, saidslot arranged to admit of reciprocal movement of the pin lengthwise ofthe casing and also peripherally thereof.

4. A push-button, an indicator carried by the push-button, a guidecasing in which said indicator is reciprocally mounted, a slot formed insaid casing, indicating characters formed on the indicator and adaptedto be exposed through said slot, means for adjusting the indicator toexpose different characters in saidslot, said means consistin of a pinon the indicator extending through a slot formed in the casing, saidslot arranged to admit of reciprocal movement of the pin lengthwise ofthe casing and also peripherally thereof, and means operable by saidindicator for completing an electrical circuit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

l/VALTER R. SCHLAGE.

Witnesses:

J OSEPH HUTTON, JOHN D. SCHULTZ.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington.D. C.

